The feast was held in a large wooden hall in the center of town, with long tables stretching from one end to the other, piled high with roast meat, bread, and fruit. Barrels of liquor stood in the corners, their rich aroma spilling out as soon as the bungs were pulled. Young women wove between the tables with plates, while young men beat tambourines, played stringed instruments, and sang local songs with cheerful, catchy tunes.
Luffy charged in first, grabbed a drumstick, and stuffed it into his mouth. Naruto sat beside him, holding a cup of liquor without drinking, his gaze roaming the crowd. He noticed one detail-the young women carrying plates all had calluses on their finger joints. Their hands were nothing like those of the elderly townsfolk watching the festivities.
"Something's wrong with this place." Naruto lowered his voice and leaned toward Nami's ear.
Nami was sipping a glass of juice, her eyes just as busy. She nodded and spoke even more quietly. "Those young women all have the hands of knife fighters. And the barrels in the corners look casually placed, but they actually form a ring-they could use them as cover if anything happened."
Zoro leaned against a pillar with his eyes closed, resting one hand on a sword hilt. Usopp crouched beneath a table, checking his slingshot's elastic, while Sanji stood at the kitchen door, watching the chef toss food in a pan with an unwavering stare. Chopper had taken his small humanoid form and perched on Luffy's shoulder, both ears pricked.
On the surface, everything was lively and cheerful. In reality, every one of them was on edge.
The mayor approached the head of the table with a cup of liquor and clapped his hands. The music stopped, and everyone in the hall turned